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The drug and alcohol addiction struggle is real. Be it through the abuse of alcohol or the inability to stop using harder drugs, stopping permanently can seem impossible. This, however, is not true. You can be sober. You can take back your life. With the correct form of treatment and a safety net of people that want to see you improve, you can finally achieve freedom.

Decide To Change
Ultimately, change starts with you. No one else can make you decide it’s time to stop. However, you may also be filled with doubts. After all, this addiction has been with you for a long period of time. How will you function without it? Thoughts like these are normal even when you know the addiction is causing problems. Take time to sort through these emotions before you officially commit to getting better.

Research Your Options
Not every addiction is the same. Some require medical attention while others need focus on psychological needs. On top of this, not every treatment works for everyone. Your path should be custom made to help you deal with your specific type of addiction. Remember, though, that true healing is more than just ending your physical addiction. Abusing drugs is rooted in your life. Something led to your abusing drugs in the first place. Get that under control and you’ll be far less likely to suffer any sort of relapse.

Find Support
In the end, the biggest help you can give yourself are the people you surround yourself with. From friends and family to professionals, encircling yourself with people that won’t tempt you back into the world you’re trying to escape is necessary. Beyond support, you may also need people to help you with any potential legal problems you’ve encountered. For instance, if you’ve been taken to court over a DUI, you’ll want to hire a lawyer that knows the ins and outs of the laws surrounding a case. This way you can move past what you did under the influence and towards a brighter tomorrow.

Addiction is not a casual thing to simply let ruin your life. It’s time to stand firm, admit that you need help and seek treatment for your problems. Though there may be relapses during the course of your progression, you’re still doing better than those that refuse to even admit they have a problem. Don’t let addiction run your life when it’s so easy to take back control.

Author's Bio: 

Emma is a freelance writer currently living in Boston, MA. She writes most often on education and business. To see more from Emma, say hi on Twitter @EmmaSturgis2